Gabriella Crespi Rare ‘Fungo’ Table Lamp in Rattan and Brass

Gabriella Crespi, 'Fungo' table lamp, part of the 'Rising Sun' collection, rattan, brass, Italy, 1973

The Piece at a Glance

This exceptionally rare Fungo lamp, designed in 1973, belongs to Gabriella Crespi’s celebrated Rising Sun collection, conceived between 1973 and 1975 around the symbolic and physical qualities of sunlight. Crespi chose rattan for its strength, flexibility, warm color, and ability to filter light, an unconventional choice at a time when synthetic materials increasingly dominated contemporary design. The mushroom-shaped Fungo transforms these qualities into a highly recognizable sculptural form, with radiating rattan elements and refined brass details evoking the collection’s central motif of the sun. Crespi worked outside mass production: her designs were handmade by skilled Italian artisans, often on commission for an exclusive international clientele that ranged from Milanese aristocracy and leading entrepreneurs to fashion figures, embassies and royal families. Her clients included Princess Grace of Monaco and the Pahlavi family; notably, the Rising Sun collection was commissioned for Reza Pahlavi’s summer residence in Mauritius. The Fungo lamps also appeared in Crespi’s own interior, suggesting that the design was one she personally valued and chose to live with. Combining rarity, craftsmanship, and one of Crespi’s defining explorations of nature and light, the Fungo epitomizes the highly individual world for which she became renowned.


Biography

Gabriella Crespi was born in Milan on 17 February 1922 and grew up in a dynamic and culturally rich family environment. Her father, Gabriele Pellini, was an engineer in an industrial firm, while her mother, Emma Caimi Pellini, designed jewelry for Parisian haute couture in the 1940s and 1950s.

Crespi graduated from the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera in Milan, where she developed a strong foundation in practical techniques. She acquired a mastery of volume, construction, and ergonomics, while also cultivating a passion for sculpture and drawing.

Her career gained momentum in 1964 when she opened her first showroom at Palazzo Cenci in Rome, presenting her contemporary collections. Crespi did not design for mass production; instead, her oeuvre consists of signed and numbered pieces produced in limited editions for an exclusive clientele. She also created interiors for distinguished clients, including the Princess of Monaco, the Shah of Iran, and the King of Saudi Arabia, among other prominent European figures.

Crespi experimented with rare and luxurious materials, often combining natural elements such as bamboo, wood, and rattan with more rigid materials like polished brass. She described her work as “full of life,” emphasizing that this juxtaposition of materials “unites strength and flexibility.” Nature was a constant source of inspiration, imbued with symbolic meaning. As she stated, “My creations are meant to bring mankind closer to the universe.”

From the beginning of her career, Crespi was fascinated by the cosmos, drawing inspiration from celestial movement and planetary forms. Early works, particularly those inspired by the moon, reflect this enduring interest. The interplay of steel and brass in her designs evoked the shimmer of stars in the night sky.

In 1985, Crespi stepped away from her design practice to embark on a spiritual journey that would last 25 years, much of which she spent in a Himalayan retreat. She eventually returned to Milan, where she passed away in 2017.